Solutions to Conquer Early Morning Wakes

Is your baby an early riser with a wake-up time as early as 5:30 AM? I can totally relate—I had a similar experience with my first baby girl. Despite adjusting bedtime, it seemed impossible to break the pattern. Early morning waking can be frustrating, but understanding the underlying reasons can make a significant difference.

Here are some common factors contributing to early waking:

Day Sleep Balance: The amount and timing of your baby's daytime sleep can impact their ability to sleep through the night. Both excessive and insufficient day sleep can lead to early waking. Monitor how long your baby sleeps during the day. Check out our wake window guide for age-appropriate sleep times.

Temperature: Babies are sensitive to temperature changes. Being too hot or cold can disrupt their sleep. Try using natural fibers like cotton, merino, or wool in their clothing and bedding to regulate temperature. Sleep sacks come in a variety of TOG (Thermal Overall Grade) ratings depending on your temperature needs.

Room/Environment: Increasing daylight in the mornings can signal wake-up time for some babies. Keeping the room dark and using white noise to create a sleep-friendly environment can be helpful. 

Hunger: For babies under 6 months or those not yet on solids, having 1-2 hunger wakes is common. Sometimes those wakes can happen in the early morning hours. If your baby is recently weaning off night feeds, they make wake around 5am hungry. If you’re looking to wean off the night feeds, you can offer support versus feeding at this time. Try to hold off feeds until 6am and begin your day.

Sickness: If hunger, temperature, and day sleep seem appropriate, consider checking with your doctor. Undiagnosed issues like ear infections or reflux could be causing early waking.

Habits: Babies older than 6 months might develop a habit of waking early. It's crucial to let them resettle themselves to break this habit and encourage them to sleep longer. 

For older toddlers or preschoolers, check their daytime sleep, nap timing, and room conditions. These are often the culprit. If a habit has formed, tools like rise to shine clocks can help establish morning rules and routines. Using blackout blinds and sound machines are also effective tools for growing babies.

Our Sleep Programs and Support Calls help to simplify managing your baby's day sleep, ensuring they get the right amount for their age, preventing both overtiredness and excessive sleep—two major contributors to early waking. 

Conquering early morning waking involves a combination of age-appropriate nap timings and settling methods. Let us empower, guide, and support you while navigating this challenging phase! Book a discovery call today.